The Two-Way

5:20 pm

Tue December 18, 2012

NRA Issues Statement Amid Calls For New Gun Control Laws

The National Rifle Association of America has broken its silence to comment on Friday's gun violence that ravaged a tight-knit Connecticut community, releasing a statement in which the gun-owners' rights group said it "is prepared to offer meaningful contributions to help make sure this never happens again."

In the short statement posted on its blog, as well as on its Facebook page, the organization said that it "is made up of four million moms and dads, sons and daughters – and we were shocked, saddened and heartbroken by the news of the horrific and senseless murders in Newtown."

The organization had largely been silent in the days after a gunman killed 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., allowing its Facebook and Twitter feeds to fall dormant.

As the AP reported, the silence represented a different approach for the NRA, which has previously released statements of sympathy after mass shootings — along with reminders of its mission to protect the rights of gun owners.

"Out of respect for the families, and as a matter of common decency, we have given time for mourning, prayer and a full investigation of the facts before commenting," the group said Tuesday.